


Summer Rain

by needles



Series: Bokuaka Detective drabbles [70]
Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-03-09
Updated: 2021-03-09
Packaged: 2021-03-16 09:41:24
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,213
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29948070
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/needles/pseuds/needles
Summary: Five years he had been in love with his partner, and he thought he could switch off those feelings at the drop of a hat? He was a fool.And he was a coward.And that stuck in his craw, Bokuto Koutarou had never been a coward.
Relationships: Akaashi Keiji/Bokuto Koutarou
Series: Bokuaka Detective drabbles [70]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2116251
Comments: 2
Kudos: 12





	Summer Rain

He nursed his drink in his hands as he watched the slim figure disappear through the doors of the bar. Boy had he changed. Once being dumped like that would have mortified his ego, now all he felt was a sense of relief, and guilt, there was always guilt. He was right too, Bokuto was using him and it was unfair. Sure he had been nice about it but it still made the bile rise in Bokuto’s throat that he could even contemplate doing that to someone. Whatever had given him the notion that he could move on just like that? He began to wonder if together with the tumour the surgeons had removed a chunk of his common sense. Five years he had been in love with his partner, and he thought he could switch off those feelings at the drop of a hat? He was a fool.

And he was a coward.

And that stuck in his craw, Bokuto Koutarou had never been a coward. But he walked away from Akaashi that night without even trying to fight. He didn’t need him to change, hell he didn’t want him to change; he loved every little squinty characteristic that made him what he was. What was worse he hadn’t done what his Grandpa had told him to do, grow a set; he’d done what Oikawa had dared him to do, he’d gambled, after he’d sworn never to gamble again. If he’d really grown a set he wouldn’t have just blurted it out like that without even telling Akaashi he loved him. He would have told Oikawa what to do with his childish dare, he would have picked his moment and told Akaashi gently, and he certainly wouldn’t have crawled away without a fight if he turned him down in his panic. 

He downed the rest of his drink and tossed the money on the bar, making his way out into the sultry summer night. The air was still and the humidity oppressive, it suited his mood. He trudged along the sidewalk, not bothering to call a cab. It was still early and the walk home would give him time to clear his head.

He walked slowly, head down, deep in thought, his whole body giving off a clear message of _‘keep your distance’_. Others on the sidewalk gave him a wide berth. It was a warm summer night, a night to get out and party, no-one wanted to invite misery to the gig, and Bokuto Koutarou radiated misery. A cop in a parked car eyed him warily then shrugged, _poor guy had probably lost his shirt at the tables but he didn’t look like he was spoiling for a fight._

Eventually Bokuto lifted his eyes from the ground and looked around him. Then gave a wry snort, this wasn’t his apartment block, it was Keiji’s. His dumb feet had beaten a well-worn track to his door like an old mule. He really was whipped. He probably wasn’t even there; he was probably out with Ushijima; he’d overheard him asking. He turned to head back and then he heard it. Music, Arabic music, coming from above. He looked up and there was a soft glow at Keiji’s open window. He hadn’t heard music like that since he was last in the Near East, he’d never heard Keiji play it before, but he did have a huge collection of ethnic music so it should have been no great surprise. What was a surprise was that it was the distinctive lively rhythm of the Raqs sharqui, not some traditional folk song dirge that he usually favoured.

Bokuto stood there musing then he became aware rain was now hitting his raised face, heavy thundery rain that had been threatening for hours. As he pulled up the collar of his jacket there was a huge crack of thunder from overhead and the drops turned into a deluge. Within seconds his hair was saturated and cold rivulets were running down his neck. Great, that really finished his evening to perfection. He glanced down at the sidewalk now swimming with water and then back up at the comforting glow. Maybe he’d just see if he could wait out the storm?

He pushed open the lobby door and shook himself like a dog over the doormat. Then he pressed the elevator button. Stepping in his finger hovered for a second before he selected Keiji’s floor. Why? This was his partner; he’d been here late at night so many times. But not since _that_ night, he reminded himself, since the night he told Keiji he had to move on. He rested his head wearily against the side of the elevator. Another crack of thunder and for a second the lights flickered. Now wouldn’t that be wonderful, trapped in his elevator? Fortunately, fate was not that cruel, the car stopped, the doors opened and he stepped out onto the landing. As he made his way to Keiji’s door he could still hear the music playing.

He knocked before his nerve deserted him. After a moment, the music hushed and he heard footsteps. The door opened and his jaw dropped.

“Akaashi?” His eyes dropped from the bare chest slowly past the toned midriff, to the matching jewelled belt slung low around his hips above the thin chiffon pants.

Keiji took one look at his sodden clothing and hauled him through the door. “Bokuto san! What on earth have you been doing, swimming? You’re saturated.” Keiji turned him round and began tugging his wet jacket off his shoulders. “Well don’t just stand there dripping on my floor, get your clothes off and I’ll put them in the dryer.”

Finally finding his voice he said, “Akaashi why are you dressed as a belly dancer?”

“Because I was dancing,” he replied, unbuttoning Bokuto’s shirt and pulling it free of his pants.

“Of course you were, you always belly dance in thunderstorms I should have remembered.”

“Really Bokuto san there is no need to be facetious. I belly dance because it is an excellent form of exercise and it is necessary to wear the appropriate clothing. I take it you are soaked because of a thunderstorm?”

“Didn’t you hear it Akaashi?” Bokuto undid his own belt, no way was he letting Keiji remove his pants dressed like that.

Keiji paused, listening. “I can now, before it must have been masked by the music.” He looked at Bokuto standing in just his boxers and gave a grin. “I think I have some of your things here.” He grabbed the wet clothes and headed for his utility room the charms hanging from his hips jingling as he walked. Bokuto heard the dryer door shut and the motor start to hum then Keiji returned clutching a towel, a pair of Bokuto’s old sweatpants and a t-shirt. “You can wear these, you lent them to me a few weeks ago remember?”

“Thanks Akaashi.” He pulled on the pants, wriggled into the t-shirt then took the towel and rubbed at his wet hair as he followed him through to the living room. 

“Would you like a drink?”

“I’ll have a beer if you’ve got one, thanks. I thought you’d be out tonight Akaashi?”

Keiji returned from the kitchen and passed him a bottle. “Out? Oh with Ushijima you mean. No I turned him down Bokuto san.” He sat alongside Bokuto on the couch, a drift of heady sandalwood cologne teased Bokuto’s nostrils.

“I thought you liked him Akaashi?”

“I did until it became clear that he was using your success to further his own career. I don’t like that Bokuto san it’s unprincipled. So I told him what I thought and said I did not wish to see him except in a purely professional capacity. I also made it clear that if he attempted to retaliate against you I would ensure that his superiors were aware of his behaviour.”

“You threatened him?”

“It wasn’t a threat, merely a statement of fact.”

“What did he say?”

“Not much, he went rather pale and his mouth opened and shut a few times like a fish, then he just said ok and left.”

“You’re the best Akaashi you know that don’t you?”

“I am the best forensic anth.....”

“No Akaashi, the best partner I could ever have.”

Keiji looked at him with a delighted smile. “Thank you Bokuto san,” then his smile faded. “I thought you had a dinner date tonight?”

He looked at his beer and shrugged. “So did I Akaashi, so did I.”

“What happened?”

“He dumped me, he said he didn’t want just a part of me and it was clear that’s all I had to give him. He didn’t want to be used. He was right I was using him too.” Bokuto shook his head sadly. “We’re not very good at this are we Akaashi? Moving on I mean.”

“No,” Keiji whispered, staring at his own drink. “No we’re not. Why do you think that is Bokuto san?”

“I know why I can’t Akaashi, what’s your reason?”

Keiji gnawed at his lip for a moment and then seemed to stiffen. “I...I don’t know.”

Bokuto sighed, almost; he almost thought Keiji was going to.... He pushed himself to his feet and drained his beer. “I’d best be going Akaashi I can pick up my other clothes tomorrow.”

“No you can’t!” Keiji cried.

“Sorry?”

“I mean you can’t go; it’s still raining and... and you haven’t seen me dance yet Bokuto san.”

“But....”

“Don’t you want to?” He looked up at him from under dark lashes and Bokuto’s resolve crumbled. 

Hell yes he wanted to see him dance but he wasn’t sure how he was going to be able to drag himself out that door afterwards. Suck it up Koutarou he told himself, even if you have to recite stats all the way home and sleep with an ice pack on your crotch.

He sat down again. “Yeah Akaashi I’d like to see that.”

Keiji smiled in delight and put down his drink, crossing to the CD player he pressed a few buttons and the music began to play.

He raised his arms slowly and sinuously and thrust first one hip forward and then the other in time with the beat then he began to shimmy, the tiny gold coins and charms attached to his outfit moving so fast they became a blur.

Mesmerised Bokuto could only wonder how he could move his hips that fast and what it would feel like if he did that when they were..... _No! No he couldn’t let his mind go there, Keiji didn’t love him remember, he turned him down. So why was he dancing like that for him?_ Bokuto’s inner devil taunted him.

He dragged his eyes up from Keiji’s gyrating hips to find that he was now moving his entire torso in undulant curves; it was as though his spine was made of rubber. It was too much.

“Stop Akaashi, just stop.”

Keiji froze and looked at him wide eyed, pausing the music. “Was I that bad Bokuto san?”

Bokuto shook his head. “No Akaashi, no you were very, very good. I just can’t watch you do that knowing that while your body is saying yes your mind is saying no. I’m just gonna go. Goodnight Akaashi.” With that he got up and headed for the front door.

“Bokuto san!”

He stopped, without turning. “Yes Akaashi?”

“I do know why I can’t move on Bokuto san.”

Bokuto’s breath hitched. “Why Akaashi?” He felt him moving closer to his back, his cologne caressing his senses.

“I don’t want to lose you Bokuto san. I thought I could save what we had by saying no because I was so scared that I couldn’t give you what you wanted. All I’ve done is hurt both of us and it’s destroying what we had anyway. I have tried to rationalise how I feel until my head aches but I’ve finally realised that there is no rational answer. There is no rational answer because what I feel doesn’t come from my head; it comes from my heart, illogical as that may be. My heart is telling me that it belongs to you, and the only word for that is love. I love you Bokuto san. I just hope it’s enough to last for fifty years.” 

Bokuto turned and Keiji could see the glimmer of hope in his eyes, yet he was still guarded, Keiji had hurt him so much. “Do you want it to Akaashi?”

“Yes,” he breathed.

“Then it will.” He reached out and gathered Keiji to him. “I love you Akaashi, I should have told you that night but....”

Keiji hushed him with a finger to his lips. “I know you do; I’ve known for a long time. I just didn’t believe I could give you what you wanted. I didn’t think it was worth the risk of hurting you.”

“I told you before Akaashi love is always worth it.” Bokuto closed the few inches between them and took Keiji’s lips with his. They kissed gently at first and then with ever increasing hunger as five years of restraint fell away. Eventually they parted breathing heavily. “Believe me now Akaashi?”

“The evidence is irrefutable,” he sighed.


End file.
